Dust-trap for street-sweepers.



No. 682,156. Patented sp't. 3, |901.- A. A. CLDUGH'.

DUST TRAP FR STREET SWEEPERS. (Appl-intim md Jan. 12, 1899.)

(lo Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

No. 682,|56. Patented Sept. 3, |901.

A A CLOUGH DUST TRAP FUB'STREET SWEEPERS.

Application met; Jai.. 12, 1899.)

` 2 Sheets-SheetZ,

(No Model.)

R* n@ ,me ,WM Ma PATENT Ferca.

AUGUSTUS A. OLOUGH, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

DUST-TRAP FOR STREET-SWEEPERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.

682,156, dated September 3, 1901.

Application filed January 12, 1899. Serial No. 701,947. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS A. CLOUGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, county of Arapahoe, and State of Colorado, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Dust-Traps for Street- Sweepers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in dust-traps for street-sweepers and the like, and has for its object to so construct and arrange such a device in combination with a pick-up mechanism of a streetsweeper as to effectually prevent the spread of dust created by the action of the sweeper and collect the same in a receptacle, from which it may be removed in connection with the water utilized for precipitating the same.

With these ends in View this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to A which this invention appertains may understand how to make and kuse the same,'the construction and operation will now be described in detail, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 shows a portion of a street-sweeper illustrating a pick-up mechanism principally in dotted lines, while the dust-collecting trap is in section, a portion of the casing of the sweeper being broken away. Fig. 2 shows a portion of the sweeper, illustrating the airexhausting means.

In carrying out my invention as here embodied, A represents the frame of a streetsweeper having a rotary brush B journaled therein, so as to come in contact with the ground, its height being made adjustable by means of the side and jam nuts O, connected with the box D, one of which is arranged upon each side of the machine and in which the brush-shaft is journaled. Suitable mechanism, such as sprocket-wheels and chain, is used for transmitting power from one of the rear drivewheels to the brush-shaft. A shield E is arranged inside of the casing and approximately concentric with the brush, its lower end being made adjustable in vany suitable manner, whereby when the machine is drawn forward the brush, revolving in the direction of the arrow marked adjacent thereto, will pick up and carry the dirt through the space between the shield and the brush and cast it within the hopper F. (Shown in dotted lines.) From this hopper the dirt is elevated by the buckets G, attached to an endless chain; but as this mechanism forms no part of my invention I will not enter into a detailed description thereof.

Gr represents the casing of the dust-trap, which is divided in two compartments by partitions, as hereinafter set forth, the lower end of this trap being semicylindrical and forming the tank H. A partition I extends from near the bottom of this tank to the upper portion of the trap, forming the chambers J and K, while the former is again subdivided by the vertical partition L, from which project the inclined deflectors M and M. Corresponding deflectors N and N' project from the walls of this chamber and are arranged alternately relative to the delectors M and M', so that water falling upon the upper deiiectors M and M will first run down the incline thereof and then fall in a sheet to the upper deiectors N and N', and likewise running down the incline of these last-named deilectors will fall in sheets upon the next succeeding deflectors M and M and repeat this operation until finally passing into the tank H. The means for pouring water upon the deflectors is a tank O, arranged at the top of the trap and having slots P formed in the bottom thereof which are elongated lengthwise of this tank, so as to form the water into sheets when passing therefrom, and thus cause it to continue to flow in sheets from one deilector to the other. At the bottom of the chamber K is arranged a pump Q, the casing of which closes the bottom of this chamber, while the lower end of the pump Vcommunicates with the tank H, so as to draw water therefrom when the pump is in operation. A pipe R leads upward from the pump and enters the tank O, so that the water drawn from the tank H is conveyed to the tank O, thus supplying said tank with the water to maintain the outflowing sheets passing through the slots P, as before set forth. The mechanism IOO for operating the pump is not here shown, since this may be of any design and forms no special feature of my invention, the object being to provide means for elevating water from the tank H to the tank O.

S represents openings leading from the chamber K, outside of which is placed a fan S. (Fully illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.) This fan is propelled by means of any ordinary manner of connecting it with the mechanism attached to the main wheel su pporting the sweeper. The most desirable way that I have found to connect and propel this fan is to provide a small pulley on the fan and a large one on the gear mechanism and then connect them by means of a cable-belt. This fan is so constructed and placed as to create a suction, thus causing an exhaust of the air from the chamber, so as to form a partial vacuum therein and create a constant draft through the opening T and downward and upward in the direction of the arrows to the chamber. Thus it will be readily comprehended that as soon as the sweeper is given a forward progression the fan will create a draft, with the foregoing result.

U represents what I term a dust-chamber,7 formed by a space within the casing of the sweeper, into which the dust created by the action of the brush and elevator-buckets arises, and the draft, formed as above set forth, will draw this dust into the chamber J and then downward through the sheets of water which are falling from one deflector to the other and around the bottom deflectors and again upward through the sheets of water iiowing from the deflectors M and M and finally into the exhaust-chamber K. Asis obvious, the dust -laden air thus passing through the sheets of water will have the dust absorbed therefrom by the water, and as the latter passes into the tank II the dust will remain contained therein until drawn o through the suitable outlet V. When the air has reached the exhaust-chamber K, it will be entirely free of dust, and therefore when eX- pelled to the open air will in no wise affect the surrounding objects or become a nuisance. In the action of the pump the water contained in the tank will be used over and over again until it has become too much impregnated with dust to further accomplish the result desired, when it will be drawn off and a fresh supply provided, and it has been found in practice that a sweeper in continuous use need be charged but once with water to carry on its operations for from three to five hours. Therefore but little or no inconvenience is eX- perienced in charging or recharging the dusttrap with water. A suitable cap W closes the end of the tank O, so that by its removal access may be had to said tank for cleaning the same.

By experiment and use it has been fully demonstrated that my improvement effectually accomplishes the result aimed at-the catching and retaining of the dust arising from a pick-up sweeper-and requires no at` tention upon the part of the driver of the machine.

In the operation of the machine the means for exhausting the air from the chamber K should be so regulated as to cause a light inward draft of air through the opening through which the brush projects, and as this is the only opening in the casing of the sweeper it follows that the dust created by the action of the brush cannot escape outward, but will be drawn inward, to be carried with the dust created by the elevator-buckets to the dust-chamber and from thence through the trap to the exhaust.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction here shown, as these may be varied within certain limits without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I-Iaving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is-'- l. Adust-collectorforpick-upstreetsweepers consisting of a suitable casing, partitions arranged therein to dividethe space into com; partments, deiiectors so located within the trap as to shed water poured thereon in sheets, means for supplying the water to said deflectors, a tank for receiving the water from the defiectors, an exhaust-chamber, means connected with said chamber for causing a iiow of dust-laden air through the sheets of water around the deilectors to the exhaust-chamber, and means for operating the device, as specilied.

2. Adust-collector forpck-upstreet-sweepers consisting of a suitable casing, a partition I arranged therein so as to divide its interior IOO into two compartments, a partition L subdividing one of these compartments, a series of deiiectors arranged alternately so as to receive water one from the other, a tank arranged above the deflectors having slots in the bottom for permitting water to fall upon the upper deiiectors in sheets, a tank arranged at the bottom of the collector for holding the proper supply of water, a pump for elevating water from the last-named tank to the tank O, and suitable means for exhausting air from the collector, as specied.

3. In a pick-up street-sweeper, a rotary brush, means for revolving the same in contact with the ground over which the sweeper is drawn, a shield for guiding material picked up, a hopper for receiving said material, means for elevating material from the hopper, a dust-chamber formed in the casing of the sweeper, a dust-collector consisting of a suitable casing having partitions therein dividing it into the compartments J and K, a series of inclined deflectors alternately arranged within the compartment J, a tank arranged over the defleetors having slots in the bottom for permitting sheets of water to fall Ifo upon the upper deiiectors whereby said water will be caused to flow downward in sheets from one deflector to the other, a tank H located at the bottom of the collector for holding the Water-supply, a pump located at the bottom of the chamber K and arranged to draw Water from the tank H, a pipe leading from the pump to the tank O whereby the Water thus drawn will be supplied to the lastnamed tank, and means, such as a fan, for exhausting air from the chamber K so as to create a draft through the collector and around the deeetors, as and for the purpose 1o set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribng Witnesses.

AUGUSTUS A. CLOUGI-L Witnesses:

MARY E. HAMER, L. W. MORRISON. 

